Language
Country/Area
No result found
Shadows on fruit trees: Why is white rot a nightmare for apple orchards?
Apples are one of the most popular fruits in the world. However, when healthy apple trees are attacked by diseases, the efforts of fruit growers will be in vain. Recently, warnings from plant pathology pointed out that "white rot" is increasingly becoming a threat that cannot be ignored in apple orchards, especially the infection caused by the pathogenic fungus Botryosphaeria dothidea, and its impact on fruit trees cannot be underestimated.
"White rot is a plant disease caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea and manifests itself as dry lesions on the trunks of apple trees."
Overview of pathogens
Botryosphaeria dothidea is a plant pathogen that causes disease on a variety of tree and shrub species. This pathogen has been reported in all continents around the world and is found in almost all plant hosts except Antarctica. Although studies of its host range in recent years have revealed the diversity of this pathogen, B. dothidea remains a well-known plant disease affecting the health of grapes, mangoes, olives and many other woody plants, with potential consequences for agriculture. threats.
White rot: symptoms and spread
For apple trees, one of the important impacts of B. dothidea is the so-called "white rot". The disease is characterized by the appearance of lesions on the trunk and branches, which are light brown in color, causing affected apple trees to develop distinctive symptoms under suitable environmental conditions.
“The cause of white rot is not only the strain itself, but also closely related to environmental conditions.”
The spores of B. dothidea are mainly divided into two forms: conidia and ascospores. These spores are released from diseased trees when rain washes them off and spread on the wind, causing new infections. Studies have shown that these spores multiply rapidly within specific temperature ranges, especially between 28 and 32°C (82 and 90°F), where they are most likely to multiply and spread.
The impact and prevention strategies of white rot
This disease not only hinders the growth of trees, but may also cause fruit rot, which has a significant economic impact on the fruit market. Symptoms of white rot indicate the disease may appear four to six weeks before harvest, so growers must target early signs of the disease to avoid being hit hard just before harvest.
“The health of fruit trees often depends on early and proactive prevention and control measures.”
In terms of prevention and control, agricultural experts recommend regularly monitoring plant symptoms in farms and taking appropriate measures when the disease first appears. In addition, cleaning up diseased and dead wood from infected plants and strengthening tree pruning can effectively reduce the risk of the spread of white rot.
Classification characteristics and current situation
Botryosphaeria dothidea belongs to the genus Botryosphaeria and is the type species of the genus. This pathogen plays a variety of roles in ecosystems, including as an endophyte in plants, although it does not show symptoms; however, if conditions are suitable, it may cause infection. When classifying, B. dothidea is significantly different from other species of the same genus, the length of its conidia and the connection with the host are obvious.
“In terms of species identification, combining morphological characteristics and genetic sequence analysis can make identification more effective.”
Although modern scholars have a deeper understanding of the characteristics of B. dothidea, its behavior and effects in different environments and hosts are still an area that requires continued research.
Given the potential threat of B. dothidea to apple trees, how should fruit farmers rethink and adjust their agricultural management strategies to effectively deal with the challenges posed by this disease?
